Goodnow Farms - Maple Asochivite 70% Cacao Guatemala (bar) - May 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Goodnow Farms
Maple Asochivite 70% Cacao - Guatemala (bar)
Good +++ 
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - free sample bar from Goodnow Farms (thank you)
Purchased from: Goodnow Farms Chocolate, part of a larger online order

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate, Bees and Trees Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week.

Today's Maple Asochivite 70% Cacao Guatemala (bar) was created by Goodnow Farms Chocolate (Sudbury, MA), as part of their "Maker's Choice" series--that highlights high-quality and single origin flavor combinations.

Aroma notes included: fragrant dark chocolate with faint, diffuse fruits (stone fruits, mild citrus), maple, butter and warm spice (cinnamon) notes.

Texture: smooth and satisfying. The maple sugar was fully incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: a delicious blend of chocolate and maple with subtle fruit (peach jam) and warm spice. This tree sweetener (maple sugar) had satisfying, authentic depth of flavor that really complemented the single-origin Guatemala cacao.

This was a great, well-curated and well-executed combination of slightly fruity, well-balanced cacao and high-quality maple sugar. In less capable hands the end results would not have been as impressive. The sugar would have overpowered the cacao, or vice versa. This blend sang; and it over-delivered on my expectations.

Maker's description: "The bright, fruity flavors of our directly sourced Asochivite cacao from Alta Verapaz, Guatemala combine perfectly with sweet maple sugar we source from familiy-owned Severence Maple in Northfield, MA. Chocolate meets French toast..."

Ingredients: Single Origin Cacao Beans, Maple Sugar, Single Origin Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: None listed on packaging. "Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free"

Nutsola - DAT Organic Cashew Butter 6?% Cacao (bar) - May 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Nutsola
DAT Organic Chocolate Cashew Butter Dark Chocolate 67% Cacao data sweetened (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 175 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $65.00 for 8-bar variety pack (4 flavors)

Purchased from: Nutsola, online order

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Bees and Trees Theme Week.

Today's DAT Organic Chocolate Cashew Butter Dark Chocolate 67% Cacao data sweetened (bar) was distributed by Nutsola LLC (Livingston, NJ).

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate (roasted, balanced cacao), subtle fruit and nut (cashew). 

Texture: mostly smooth, with very faint (barely detectable) graininess--that was likely from dates. The cashew butter filling contributed to a smooth, pleasing melt and mouthfeel.

I liked that this chocolate wasn't too sweet, and that "No Added Sugar" meant no artificial sweeteners. Dates still contain sugars; but it's nice to have this option. (Many "sugar free" chocolates still can contain artificial sweeteners.) 

I also appreciated the flavor and texture of the cashew butter, that complemented the dark chocolate nicely.

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao, Organic Date, Organic Cashew Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Cashews. May contain occasional pits. Shares equipment with products containing Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Egg, and Wheat."